Red Rocks plans $35 million backstage facelift

Red Rocks Amphitheatre is the most iconic concert venue on the planet. The views, the sound, the red rock formations, it’s all perfect. The backstage area? Apparently, not so much. But that’s about to change in a big way.

Denver City Council is advancing a $4.5 million design contract with SEH Inc. to completely redesign the backstage experience at Red Rocks, converting the current underground area into a five-story facility with new dressing rooms, a dining room, a kitchen, offices and back-of-house space. The total project is funded by $35.1 million from the Vibrant Denver Bonds that voters approved in November, and it’s been more than a decade in the making. “The backstage updates have been contemplated for more than a decade,” said Red Rocks spokesman Brian Kitts. “It’s just taken that long to find the funding.”

Here’s the part fans will care about most: the new structure will be designed to be partly underground so that concertgoers sitting in the amphitheatre can still see the iconic Denver city skyline view from the seats. Nothing about your Red Rocks experience is changing, the views, the vibe, the sunsets, the sound, all staying exactly the same. This is entirely about upgrading the performer side of the equation. The current backstage dressing rooms are below ground with accessibility issues, and performers don’t have direct stage-level access. The new facility will include a parking garage for performers, dressing rooms at stage level and improved loading and arrival logistics. A small staff parking lot will be sacrificed for the construction site.

And here’s the genius move: city officials plan to complete the entire project without disrupting a single show. All construction will happen during Red Rocks’ five-month off-season, with crews only working when the venue is dark. Construction is expected to begin in November 2027 and run through multiple off-seasons. The venue hosts roughly 1.7 million concertgoers annually, and nobody’s missing a beat. Red Rocks is already in the middle of other upgrades too, a new permanent merch stand replacing the old tent structure and a new east terrace near the entrance stairs that was originally envisioned by the amphitheatre’s architect, Burnham Hoyt.

The bottom line: Red Rocks is getting better for performers without getting worse for fans, and that’s about as perfect as the venue itself.